Resources

This section provides links to current wildlife health information and resources using a number of different categories and areas of interest. News, resources and information focus on Australia but also include information from overseas. We hope this assists everyone finding out more about wildlife health topics of interest.

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A note about archived postings: Wildlife Health Australia migrated all of the postings from the "Bulletin Board" on our previous website into this new "Resources" web page. Please note these posting are in the process of being removed or updated by WHA staff, postings dated prior to 2010 may be out of date and have expired URLs.

Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

Two documents are available on the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning website.Wildlife Shelter and Foster Carer Authorisation Guide: “Wildlife Shelter and Foster Carer Authorisations are subject to strict conditions to protect the welfare of wildlife undergoing rehabilitation. The updated Wildlife Shelter and Foster Carer Authorisation Guide [PDF] was first prepared in 2015 by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) in consultation with the animal welfare unit within the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR), RSPCA, Zoos Victoria, veterinarians and representatives from the wildlife rehabilitation community.”Veterinary care for wildlife: information for veterinarians and clinic staff: “Wildlife shelters and foster carers that receive sick, injured or orphaned wildlife must ensure that the wildlife is assessed by a veterinarian or a person experienced in diagnosing illnesses, diseases and injuries in the species. This is to ensure that the wildlife receives accurate diagnoses and the best possible treatment options. There are also some forms of treatment that can only be administered by a veterinarian (e.g. prescribing medication). Veterinarian advice on the care and treatment of wildlife is important to both the animal and to the wildlife carer…” Veterinary Care for Wildlife fact sheet [PDF] is available from this webpage.

US Geological Survey Newsroom

29/9/2014 USGS Newsroom: “Amphibians, including threatened and endangered species like the Oregon Spotted Frog, may benefit from a recent study that highlights the use of promising tools that can assess the risk of disease exposure….. For this study, scientists coupled sophisticated molecular tools with advanced statistics to evaluate whether the amphibian chytrid fungus occupied ponds and wetlands. First, they used DNA extracted from water samples to test for the presence and abundance of the amphibian chytrid fungus. Then they used an occupancy modeling method to estimate the chance of a false-negative result, or the likelihood of not detecting the pathogen when it was actually present. The study found chytrid fungus in approximately 61 percent of sampled ponds and wetlands. The fungus was present year round at the long-term monitoring site, but its density was highest in the spring. Beside seasonal variability, elevation also played a role in the presence of the fungus. Chytrid fungus was more common in amphibian breeding habitats at lower elevations than those habitats at higher elevations……”

BOOK

About the Book: "Wildlife populations may be a significant source of infection for humans and domestic animals while in some cases being themselves endangered by pathogens. The development of sustainable approaches to the management of wildlife diseases is fundamental to the protection of human health, agriculture, and endangered species. Managing disease in free-ranging wild mammals presents serious challenges, however, because of their often complex ecology and social behaviour, which can undermine simplistic assumptions about the dynamics of disease and responses to intervention. The text presents discussion of basic approaches to disease management, with reference to specific challenges presented by wild mammal populations and in the light of the results of recent research at the interfaces between disease epidemiology..........."

The Report of the Australian Biosecurity Forum, which was held in Canberra on 16 September, is now available on the Australian Biosecurity CRC website. See www.abcrc.org.au/pages/AboutUs.aspx?MenuID=37 and then click on **Australian Biosecurity Forum Report**. To see the PowerPoint slides used by the speakers, click on the session title in the program.